284 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 4, 1890. 
appeared stronger and more vigorous than those of the 
variety alongside of it. Most of the crowns were, 
however, showing for bloom, and gave promise of even 
a better crop. Vicomtesse, on the other hand, was in 
bloom almost to a plant, but the flower stems were 
very short, and had not then attained the length of 
the leaves, although they will, no doubt, lengthen as 
the fruit advances. The house in which they were 
being grown was by no means well adapted for them, 
because the roof was very low and badly constructed, 
either for economising sunlight or sun-heat. There 
was, however, a bed of fermenting leaves about 2 ft. 
deep, and beneath this was ample accommodation for 
the supply of artificial heat by hot-water pipes. For 
the heating of the body of the house there were pipes 
also above the bed, so that what is lacking in the 
matter of sun-heat can be supplied by means of coals. 
Forcing is largely carried on here ; but under great 
difficulty compared with what the cultivator has to 
contend against who is fortunately more distantly 
situated from the smoke and fog of the great metropolis. 
The Currant-Bud Mite. 
In May last a correspondent sent me a few twigs of 
Black Currant, with the buds in a diseased condition, 
from Comrie, Perthshire. When a bud was opened 
under water a great number of minute white mites were 
washed out. They are elongated in form, and of such 
a size as to be seen against a black surface by the naked 
eye. By piercing the young leaves they cause them to 
become tumid and unable to open out. It seems that 
the disease was unknown in the above district until 
within the last three or four years. My advice as to 
its amelioration was identical with that you have given 
at p. 252. It may be mentioned that the mycelium of 
a fungus was present in some of the diseased buds, in 
all probability a follower, not an antecedent of the mite. 
•— J. IVilson, D.Sc., University , St. Andrews, N.B. 
Hardiness of Anemone coronaria. 
The usual flowering period of the Poppy Anemone is 
April and May, but seedlings according to the time of 
sowing and planting may be made to flower freely in 
autumn. One would, however, hardly expect to see it 
in all its freshness and beauty in the open border at 
Christmas, yet we noted it in full bloom for some time 
previous to and since that time. It stood several 
degrees of frost on Christmas morning, yet the bright 
colours appeared as fresh as ever, and only after the 
flower was getting old did the sepals appear somewhat 
sullied and weather worn at the edges. This speaks 
volumes for the hardiness, not merely of the foliage, 
because that is well known, but of the fully expanded 
bloom. Furthermore, a cool moist atmosphere is 
thoroughly to the liking of this species, for it thrives 
and flowers profusely in northern gardens in any good 
soil, and without the least preparation being made for 
it. We should have been less surprised to see A. 
fulgens in bloom at this time, because it naturally 
flowers early. 
-*>$*«- 
ORCHID NO TES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
As far as Orchids are concerned, the new year cannot be 
said to bring with it any important operations, coming 
as it does at a time when the bulk of the plants are in 
the middle of the resting period, There are, however, 
many which keep slowly growing all through the 
winter, and the cultivator finds that, with the weather 
constantly changing, he has to he always on the alert, 
if these receive the careful attention that they need, so 
that they may be happy in their surroundings. As the 
days begin to lengthen, there are many plants which 
feel the invigorating effects of increased light, and the 
time will soon be at hand when they will require re¬ 
potting ; therefore it is necessary to see that sufficient 
materials are in stock, and prepared for use, so that 
there need be no delay when the pressure comes. 
Short woody sphagnum moss is always to be preferred 
to the long spindly stuff which is found growing in 
ponds, as only the green heads of the latter are of any 
real use. If a quantity is likely to be required, it is 
best to obtain a supply when a favourable opportunity 
occurs, as it will keep in good condition for a couple of 
months in a cool place, and can then be picked over as 
time permits. Empty teak baskets, rafts, and cylinders 
which have been used before, should be scalded and 
thoroughly scrubbed, as well as pots, pans, and crocks, 
before being considered fit for use again. 
Odontoglossums should now be rapidly pushing up 
spikes, but if any plants which have nearly finished 
their bulbs have failed to throw up there will be no 
harm in keeping them moderately dry at the roots for 
two or three weeks, as by that means they may be in¬ 
duced to do so. Young plants of 0. Hallii, 0. 
sceptrum and 0. cirrhosum are amongst the most 
likely kinds to need this treatment, if they are to add 
to the wealth of flower later on. We have frequently 
seen Odontoglossums in collections almost flowerless 
year after year, in consequence of being kept too hot 
and close ; splendid bulbs and verdant green leaves 
are good, but plants with a bronzy tinge and well- 
ripened bulbs, crowned with stout spikes, are more 
likely to be appreciated. I am aware, however, that 
0. Hallii does not assume the bronzy red tint peculiar 
to 0. crispum when grown along with it under the 
most favourable circumstances. 
Cypripediums which have passed out of flower and 
started young growths should be re-potted now if they 
require it, or broken up if too large ; while any which 
are not doing satisfactorily had better be shaken clean 
out and re-potted into pots only just large enough to 
hold them, filled half full of crocks, and with the 
crowns of the plants only a little higher than the rim 
of the pot. The system of mounding up the potting 
material several inches above the rim of the pot, which 
was in vogue some time ago, has now happily not 
many advocates, for experience has taught Cypripedium 
growers that the plants do better when not mounded 
up so high. C. Sanderianum, C. Rothschildianum 
and C. Elliottianum are all much slower at emitting 
roots and becoming established than the majority of 
imported Cypripedes, and should not be overpotted at 
Lahha anceps Yeitchiana. 
the start, as they do not appear to like a great amount 
of compost to grow in until well rooted and established. 
Sophronitis grandiflora now opening its flowers will 
require keeping moist so as to enable it to finish up its 
growths, as well as the endless forms of Odontoglossum 
Rossii majus, which are so pretty at this time of the 
year, and moreover plants that may be grown to 
perfection by amateurs.— W. P. 
L/elia anceps Veitchiana. 
As the season comes round, the Orchid houses are 
rendered gay for a time with the handsome flowers of 
this species, and the blooming of new importations is 
eagerly looked forward to for novelties sufficiently 
distinct to merit a varietal name. Already the named 
sorts number sixteen at least, independently of the 
type, and taking into consideration the many unnamed 
kinds in cultivation, the variability of the species 
warrants the expectation of fine things yet to come. 
The variety we figure was first described about six 
years ago, and still holds its own as a beautiful 
sort. It differs from the type in colour only. The 
sepals and petals are white, but the lip exhibits a dis¬ 
tribution of colour somewhat similar to that of L. a. 
Percivaliana. The side lobes are beautifully marked 
with mauve-purple, simple or forked lines, while the 
terminal lobe is light purplish mauve with darker 
nerves. The illustration will give an idea of this 
distribution of colour. 
Corticoatzontecoxochitl. 
Readers need not be alarmed at the terribly unpro¬ 
nounceable word here given. It is merely the native 
name of Cattleya citrina, and if the barbarians of 
Mexico can remember and pronounce such a name, 
surely we in this land of enlightenment ought not to 
be frightened at Latin and Greek names, the worst of 
which are easy compared with the above. The Cattleya 
in question is notable also as being the only species 
occurring in a wild state in Mexico itself. It inhabits 
elevated mountain ranges at altitudes varying from 
6,000 ft. to 7,500 ft. ; and under cultivation is, per¬ 
haps, the most refractory of all species to maintain in 
health and vigour for any continuous length of time. 
The greatest success in this country, perhaps, is attained 
by wiring the clumps of pseudo-bulbs with peat, crocks, 
&e., into shallow pans, so that the leaves or apex of the 
pseudo-bulbs can be hung downwards, and suspending 
them from the roof at the cool end of the Cattleya 
house, where they will get a maximum of light and 
plenty of ventilation. Very little water is required 
during the resting season, but when making growth a 
liberal supply, given by dipping, is an absolute necessity. 
Oncidium cebolleta. 
The upright, terete or rush-like, but rigid dark green 
leaves of this species are strikingly different from the 
greater bulk of those of its congeners. 0. teretifolium 
and 0. Jonesianum have similar foliage, but that of the 
latter is naturally pendent instead of being upright. 
The upper surface of the leaf is represented by little else 
except a channel along one side, all the rest corre¬ 
sponding to the back of the leaf, as if it had been rolled 
up like a piece of parchment. O. cebolleta is said to 
be a summer-flowering species, but at Devonhurst, 
Chiswick, it flowers about mid-winter, when the blooms 
are liable to be destroyed by the fogs which are so 
prevalent over the metropolis in winter. The scapes 
are panicled, and as rigidly erect as the leaves, but of 
course much thinner, and attain a height of 20 ins. to 
30 ins. or more. The sepals and petals are small, and 
yellow blotched with brownish red, while the lip is 
almost wholly yellow. The latter organ constitutes by 
far the largest part of the flower, and is deeply three- 
lobed ; the lateral lobes are close to the base, and so 
large that they appear like petals, and almost conceal 
the real ones. 
A White-margined Cypripedium insigne, 
There is a form of Cypripedium insigne at Devonhurst, 
Chiswick, which appears to be of hybrid origin, and on 
examination gives rise to the idea of its having 
resulted from C. insigne Maulei fertilised with the 
pollen of C. villosum. At first it was supposed to be 
C. insigne albo-marginatum, because its upper sepal is 
furnished with a broadish white margin extending to 
the base or nearly so. Its affinity with C. i. Maulei is 
evidenced by the upper third of its length being white, 
at the base of which there are some violet blotches, 
while the lower two-thirds exhibit the usual spotting 
of C. insigne. There is, however, scarcely enough of 
white on the upper portion, and too few of the violet 
blotches for C. i. Maulei. Then there is some 
evidence of its hybrid origin in the large staminode, 
and in the shape of the light brown lip, the erect 
auricles of which are very long and pointed, quite 
unlike the ordinary forms of C. insigne. 
-->3E<-- 
THE FLOWER INDUSTRY IN 
THE ISLES OF SCILLY. 
Of course, everybody who has a yard of land to spare 
grows flowers —not Narcissus only, but Wallflowers, 
Stocks, and Marguerites. There are acres of Wall¬ 
flowers planted out in Scilly this year, all looking 
healthy, and some in flower now. There are also a few 
Daffodils in bloom, but they are weaklings which 
probably did not flower last season. January is the 
beginning of the flower season for Scilly, and the work 
gradually increases until in April, May, and June every¬ 
one is working at high pressure. The fields—huge 
gardens rather—are masses of yellow or white, where 
one could pick a thousand bunches and the farmer 
hardly miss them, while the perfume which the enor¬ 
mous quantities of flowers produce pervades everywhere. 
When the quantity is small, the picking and packing 
for market presents little difficulty ; but where tens of 
thousands of flowers have to be picked, and often 
despatched in two or three days, as is the case with 
most growers, the preparations for market become a 
serious matter. One day every available hand is 
picking flowers, and generally a number of children 
are pressed into this service. The next day, perhaps, 
some pick, and some strip and tie the blossoms. A 
certain amount of care is needful to pick the flowers 
properly ; they must be a certain degree opened, and 
when open, must stand until they reach a good colour. 
It may be mentioned, however, strictly in confidence, 
of course, that in the early spring when the sun is shy, 
